Let me clarify and add a few things to my posting of April 1st.
In my referring to Korea versus Taiwan or any country versus another, I was not referring to pilots but politicians. I've known pilots from lots of country that recognize these same battles being fought by governments needlessly.
To see some minior flight incident being turned into a major bruhaha is so sad.
CAL isn't for everybody, but could be a good place for some.
I got some e-mails back from a few friends and here's what they said after 18 months of seeing them and us all starting together.
I noted one response was:
<<<One thing the experts are trying to implement is that Expats will only be able to bid specifically three times per year for your home leave>>>
If CAL were to change this it would be a disaster. Each month, you get to preference and place days off in the computer to hve off. In every month of my 8 that I bid prefernced, they gave me the days off. I had Thanksgiving off as it is not a holiday outside of the US really. Certainly not Taiwan. I also got Christmas off as they roated it. Most Taiwanese don't care about Christmas. Some do. Most don't. Again, it was appreciated and I had a backup set of choices. No company can give everybody Christmas off in the airline business. In trade, for that, The Chinese want Chinese New Year and I was working over that period,but in an out of Taiwan during that time. It was fun and the fireworks and celebrations were neat. I really enjoyed that part of the experience and I again emphasize that I met a lot of good friends there both locals and ex-pats that I still call friends.
If this rumor were to be true, then this would lose a lot of expats. Hopefully that is not their goal and this is just a bad rumor.
From one friend :
<<<Well, I'm still here at CAL - waiting patiently. Nobody (expat) has been upgraded since I've been here. It is a light at the end of a very long tunnel. But so far what they have told me (at the intial interview) has not come to fruition. I constantly have to remind the people I fly with, that I do have an experienced background ......Captains generally don't trust their FOs...
Most of the Ex Ansett captains (now CAL RPs and FOs) have gone. Most 738 Captains are still here (they retain their commands). I don't know how long it is going to take for upgrade, but a couple of CCs (4-5 years with CAL) have gone also. It is just disappointing to feel that your experience is not entirely recognised with the system in place at CAL>>>
this message was disturbing from a VERY rational guy. He is a good friend and I cut out all but the highlights of the message.
FROM another F/O friend there:
<<<CAL seems to be stepping up the treat ex-pats like **** program. Most Aussies have gone. several new hired so american guys quit before finishing training.>>>
Now this is from another guy and if true, it surprises me. He was a pretty quiet guy who never would have seen this when I was there. I don't know why anyone would do this. Perhaps a different perspective?
From another friend, who did not finish F/O training and was highly experienced and used to speak Australian:
<<<start command training next week >>>
this guy had been a 15,000+ guy who they made start in the right seat because he did not have a type rating in the 747-400.
He means he starts Command (Captain for you guys in the other parts of the world) training at ANOTHER place in the world.
It is so easy to see where they are going down the wrong path often in terms of pilot retention. There are so many things that good be improved,but don't seem to be.
What disturbs me so much is that are so many dedicated people at CAL whose efforts are being wasted while just a few hurt the overall success they COULD be having.